Life's Big Decisions
by Lady Knight 1512
Summary: Melody goes back to see Billy after leaving LA. Lot's more to come. Not a very good summary! RR plz! Chapter 2 UP! ON HOLD
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hi! I'm Lady Knight 1512 and am a huge V.C. Andrews fan. I've read all but four of her books. Most of my fanfic's are in the Tamora Pierce section, so if you've read her books check them out. This is the first of a few stories in this section. I'll try to be quick in updating but I'm only half way through the first draft so please be patient. If there's a few months between update's it's probably because I have writer's block. I'm very prone to it. Either that or I have been buried under all my homework and am waiting to be discovered.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters mentioned in the following text.**

**Anyway, enough from me; enjoy the story and remember to send me lots of nice reviews!**

**Life's Big Decisions**

_**Prologue**_

Dear Alice,

Sometimes I think that I've cried so many tears, that the oceans will overflow and flood the coasts.

I went to see Mommy, Alice. I know now that I needn't have bothered. She didn't want to see me. She goes by the name 'Gina Simon' now and pretends to be only a few years older than I am! She even made me out to be her sister!

I have left Los Angeles and am going back to New York to see Billy Maxwell, a friend of mine who's a paraplegic. He made me feel so much better when I met him, so I'm going to go see him again.

Please, don't tell Cary where I am; I need time to think.

I've got to go Alice; the plane's getting ready to land.

I'll talk to you soon.

Love forever,

Melody.

**A/N: Okay, I know it's short, but it's only the prologue. Give me time.**


	2. What I Never Had

**A/N: Hey again! Sorry I've been so long in updating; it's just that a few days after I posted the prologue, I read another VCA story that was the same as mine so I had to re- write it. I still haven't finished it either. A big 'Thank You' and a huge cyber hug to…**

**LunasStar: I love the Logan series too. They're so great and I particularly love Heart Song. Cary is sooooo sweet!!!**

**ezilysmused: Since I posted the prologue I read one of the 4 books, 'Olivia'. I didn't like that one as much as I did the others. Anyway, I haven't read 'My Sweet Audrina', 'Heaven', 'Into The Forest' and the new book 'Black Cat'. Looks like I'm back at 4, huh?**

**My Comforting Lie33 and BubblyShell22: Thanks soooo much!!**

**Hope Audrenson: Thanks! You were my first reviewer! jumps up and gives HUGE hug**

**Hope y'all like this chapter! (No, I'm not American, I'm actually an Aussie).**

**Life's Big Decisions**

**Chapter One: What I Never Had**

I stepped out of the cab and paid the driver, then, gathering my bags, turned to face the shop as the driver sped off.

I walked to the door and went inside. A small bell jingled as I entered.

The shop was small, with crystals, planetary and star charts and a picture of an Indian man.

I walked to the long counter and stood looking at the gems in the glass cabinet beneath it.

A woman walked through the beaded doorway that led to the house part of the building. She wore a long, violet dress and dangling crystal earrings. On one of her fingers was an emerald ring.

"Melody!"

"Hello, Holly."

"What are you doing here?" Holly asked, coming around to my side of the counter.

"I needed to see you and Billy."

"Really? Why? What happened with your mother?"

I stared at her, so concerned for me, and my eyes welled with tears.

"Oh Melody! It's all right. Come with me. Billy and I were just eating lunch."

Holly put an arm around my shoulders and led me further into the building, leaving my luggage in the shop behind the counter.

We entered the kitchen together and Billy looked up.

He looked the same as ever; long, brown hair tied into a ponytail; plain, blue shirt and jeans. He was a handsome man really, only no one ever noticed because of the wheelchair he had to use.

"Hi there Melody!"

"Hi Billy."

"How was the trip?"

He saw the shadows darken my eyes and frowned slightly.

"It was that bad?"

I looked at him and saw sadness in his eyes. "Yes Billy, it was that bad."

Holly hugged me and said, "Sit down Melody, I'll get you something to eat and you can tell us about it."

"That's all right Holly, I ate on the plane."

"A drink then? Water? Juice? Tea?"

"Water's fine thanks."

I sat at the table and waited while Holly got my water and sat down again.

"So, tell us what happened," Billy said and sat back in his chair.

I took a sip of water and told them both my story. **(A/N: You'll have to read 'Unfinished Symphony' 'cause I'm not gonna go through the whole thing)** When I had finished, I sat silently and avoided their looks of pity.

"I guess Mommy did die, just not the way I thought she did," I said as a tear dripped down my cheek. "I lost her for the third time. First, she abandoned me at the Cape, then she faked her own death and now… well, you know."

Billy leant over and took one of my hands in both of his.

I looked up and stared into his hazel eyes. They were gold really, with green flecks. I'd never noticed before.

"You didn't lose your mother, Melody. You never did."

"Never? Not once?"

Billy shook his head. "How do you lose something that you never had in the first place?"

"You can't."

He smiled. "Exactly."

**A/N: So that's it. Kinda short right? I'll try and make the rest longer. I really have to go. I want to watch something on T.V but Dad's got the remote!! **

**Read and review please! **

**I'll try and update soon. **


	3. Decisions

**A/N: OK, yes, I haven't updated in forever and yes, it does say ON HOLD in the summary but only because I'm concentrating on another story I want to put up here. It'll be the first of probably a trilogy. But you'll hear more about that as the publication date draws nearer! I'll just get on with the story, shall I?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it.**

**Life's Big Decisions**

**Chapter Two: Decisions**

I awoke the next morning, when the sun rose high enough in the sky to peek through the tiny window in my room and warm my face. My eyes fluttered open and I looked drowsily around the room.

It was small but convenient. A bed, chest of drawers, desk and chair were crammed into the room. A set of chimes hung from the ceiling and tinkled when I set my eyes on them.

A moment passed before I realised where I was. Holly and Billy had offered me a room for a few well earned days of rest, free of charge. Overwhelmed by their generous offer, I had readily accepted.

I sat up and stretched. My watch read eleven o' clock.

Getting out of bed, I realised that Cary would be out at sea by now. If Uncle Jacob were still alive, Cary would be following orders; now, he was probably giving them.

I gathered a skirt and blouse and went to the bathroom to shower.

While washing my hair, my thoughts turned to Aunt Sara and May, Cary's deaf, younger sister. They would be taking Uncle Jacob's death pretty hard. Poor Aunt Sara probably cried herself to sleep every other night, thinking they were doomed.

May wouldn't know what to think. She'd be so confused. Her father had just died, the man who was supposed to last forever. I had experienced the same thing only a year ago.

Cary, though, would be strong. He would look after them; give them hope. He was like that, my Cary, strong and silent. Cary could face any obstacle and get over it successfully.

I towelled myself off and smiled. Cary would take care of things.

**88888888**

I walked into the shop and found it empty but for Holly and Billy who were talking about the properties of amethyst.

"Morning," I said, cheerfully.

They turned to me and said, "Good morning, Melody."

"I guess I missed breakfast. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. You obviously needed the sleep. You've been through a rough time," said Holly.

"Yeah, that or you were jet lagged," Billy said and laughed.

I smiled and couldn't help but giggle.

"Come on," he said, "I fix you something to eat."

I followed Billy back into the kitchen where I sat down and watched as he sliced and diced and finally put a bowl of fruit salad on the table in front of me.

He sat and watched me eat for a while, and then he said, "Melody?"

I looked up at him, my mouth full of peach. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and he raised an eyebrow.

I blushed crimson. How unladylike! I chewed and swallowed then laid down my spoon.

"Yes, Billy?"

"Holly and I were talking last night after you went to bed. We've decided that you can stay as long as your heart desires. A few weeks, a few months. Forever, if you like. You can work in the shop so you won't get bored. Someone interesting always comes in."

I stared at him in shocked silence.

"That's only if you want. We'd understand if you want to go back to Provincetown."

_Stay here? _I thought. Stay here in New York with Holly and Billy who meant so much to me? That would be wonderful.

But what about Aunt Sara? What about May? Theresa, Grandma Olivia, Grandma Belinda, Kenneth?

What about Cary?

They all needed me. Or did they?

Ever since I had been left at Cape Cod by Mommy, I had been nothing but a burden. If I stayed, Grandma Olivia need never set eyes on me again. I wouldn't have to play Laura for Aunt Sara and Kenneth could go on with his life without having to look at Mommy's face everyday.

Of course, I wouldn't be able to see Grandma Belinda and I had only just discovered her. I would miss May, with her hands like birds, and Theresa, the Brava who had been my first friend on the Cape.

And Cary? He would be better off. What did he want with me in the first place? No, he didn't need me. He deserved someone better. I was holding him down. Free of me, he would be able to soar, or sail, rather.

I looked into Billy's eyes and smiled.

"Thanks Billy, I'd love to say."

"That's great! You finish eating and I'll go tell Holly."

Billy rolled away and I returned to my salad. This was best for all concerned and it wasn't like I'd lost touch with them forever. I could call and write and maybe visit one day. But if I was so sure I'd made the right decision, why did I feel a storm approaching?

**A/N: That's it for now. Please review, I only got a couple for the last chapter!**


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